Dementia Action Week: 19–25 May 2025.

During Dementia Action Week, it is appropriate for Bettal to recognize the significant impact this clinical syndrome has on numerous individuals’ lives. Dementia affects not only those who live with the condition but also their families, caregivers, and neighbours. The life changing effect of dementia on everyone touched by it cannot be overestimated.

In this blog article for Dementia Action Week, we look at some of the fact and figures about dementia and consider what these might mean for social care providers.

Facts and figures

About 2% of people aged 65-69 have dementia, rising to 20% in those aged 85-89- yes that is right about one in five people in this age range. Old age is the main risk factor for dementia. Its early signs are often, understandably, mistaken for normal age-related forgetfulness.

Dementia can also affect younger people, with about 5% of cases occurring in those under 65. The type of dementia often varies by age and lifestyle factors – we will consider some of these in a later blog. In 2025, almost 1 million people in the UK are living with dementia This figure is expected to rise to approximately 1.6 million by 2054 as the population continues to age.

Of note and according to the Alzheimer’s society, about a third of people who are living with dementia do not yet have a diagnosis.

About two thirds of people living with dementia are women. Dementias are responsible for about one in every six deaths in women in the UK with the corresponding figure for men being about one in eleven. In 2022, the last full year with data, there were 74,261 deaths due to Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias in the UK, which is more than any other cause of death.

Dementia has been the leading cause of death for women in the England and Wales since 2011.

Based on these statistics, it is probable you will encounter dementia in the workplace or that someone you know personally may be affected by it at some point in your life.

Signs and symptoms

This Dementia Action Week, it is worth reminding ourselves of the signs and symptoms of dementia because, while there is no cure for it, there are drugs which can be used to slow its progression. This means early detection and management are important. It is also important that people living with dementia, have early access to support and medication to help manage some of the symptoms. While family members often benefit from early support from dementia specialists and charities.

The primary signs and of dementia are cognitive symptoms that affect an individual’s thinking ability. These include:

• Poor short-term memory, such as repeatedly asking the same question.
• Difficulty with decision-making, organisation, and simple tasks like cooking.
• Struggling with language and conversations.
• Forgetting words.
• Trouble seeing in three dimensions and judging distances.
• Disorientation in place, time, and person.
• Mood changes: withdrawn, frustrated, anxious, sad, or angry – which are new for the individual.
• Hallucinations.
• Delusions.
• Paranoia, such as hiding things or accusing others.
• Forgetting social norms and becoming uninhibited.
• Feeling insecure and asking for deceased loved ones.

As dementias are progressive in nature, the signs and symptoms people display will both worsen in severity and increase in number as their syndrome progresses. The rate of change and types of signs displayed will vary between individuals, therefore it is often people who know the person best who will notice them first.

Many cognitive symptoms can worsen towards the end of the day, the so called “sun downing” effect. Sun downing is more prevalent in the mid and later stages of dementia and may be the result of disturbances to an individual’s sleeping pattern, too much stimulation in their environment or the effects of morning medications wearing off.

As the disease progresses the person may develop signs and symptoms which are more physical including:

• A change in appetite, either increasing or decreasing food intake.
• Loss of muscle tone, which can impact their ability to walk.
• Alterations in sleeping patterns, such as increased or decreased sleep, or sleeping at irregular times.
• Difficulties with swallowing and remembering how to chew.

What has this to do with social care providers?

Because of its growing prevalence, it is important that all social care providers have a good understanding of the impact of dementia on the lives of the people we support. Almost every social care provider will be providing care for people living with dementia whether they are aware of it or not and whether they are a specialist dementia provider or not.

It is important therefore that all providers ensure their staff are dementia aware and understand the signs and symptoms of dementia so that they can help Service Users access the care and support they might need. Arguably, all social care providers should regard dementia awareness training as a fundamental part of the training they ask their staff to undertake, even though, currently, it is not mandatory for most.

Summary

Dementia is not a single disease, it comes in a variety of forms, with the different types of dementia affecting people in different, but broadly similar ways. The prevalence of dementia in the UK is increasing and so it is important that social care providers are aware of the types (see a later blog) of dementia and the ways in which they affect individuals.

Arguably, dementia awareness training ought to be mandatory for all health and social care providers because of it increasing prevalence. Bettal certainly believe this to be the case and support any campaign to make this happen this this Dementia Action Week.

Bettal, can help Registered Managers and Nominated Individuals with their compliance in all areas of care including those providing care to people living with dementia in its many forms.

Contact Bettal Quality Consultancy today to learn how our comprehensive and value for money policies and procedures can help you achieve successful care provision and CQC compliance.

Email us at info@bettal.co.uk or call us at 016977 41411 to get started!

Peter Ellis MA MSc BSc(Hons) RN
Consultant, Bettal Quality Consultancy